Exceptional Ingredients
Grande Mozzarella:
Grande Cheese Company is a world-class dairy company and recognized industry leader. Grande trademarked cheeses are served in thousands of America’s finest Italian restaurants, delis and pizzerias coast to coast. Grande has been making fine Italian cheeses since 1941, their commitment and dedication to make great cheeses has become the very foundation and spirit of the company.
Prosciutto di Parma:
Prosciutto di Parma marks one of the high points of the Italian culinary tradition. Renowned and appreciated throughout the world, the history and traditions of Prosciutto di Parma go far back in time to more than 2,000 years ago. The special environmental, ecological and climatic conditions of the area of production provide the key to how this culinary delight originated. The first step in the making of an inimitable Prosciutto di Parma consists in the careful selection of prime-grade raw material, namely the hog. The meat must then be treated and seasoned using traditional methods carried out in a strictly delimited area of production within the province of Parma. The ham is aged for at least 10-12 months. Just one single ingredient, salt, may be used in the treatment of the meat. This is why Prosciutto di Parma is an absolutely natural product that manages to be delicious, easily digestible and nutritional all at once. A genuine Prosciutto di Parma may be identified by the trademark: a ducal crown. This crown is the only guarantee to consumers that the product they are buying has all the qualities that have made this ham justly famous throughout the world.
Parmigiano Reggiano:
Parmigiano-Reggiano, is a hard granular cheese, cooked but not pressed, named after the producing areas near Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna. Under Italian law only cheese produced in these provinces may be labelled “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” while European law classifies the name as a protected designation of origin. At 12 months, the Consorzio Parmigiano-Reggiano inspects each and every cheese. The cheese is tested by a master grader whose only instruments are a hammer and his ear.By tapping the wheel at various points, he can identify undesirable cracks and voids within the wheel. Those cheeses that pass the test are then heat branded on the rind with the Consorzio’s logo. Traditionally, cows have to be fed only on grass or hay, producing grass fed milk. Only natural whey culture is allowed as a starter, together with calf rennet. The only additive allowed is salt, which the cheese absorbs while being submerged for 20 days in brine tanks saturated to near total salinity with Mediterranean sea salt. The product is aged an average of two years.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Press:
Extra-virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only, (Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means and no chemical treatment) contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. Extra Virgin olive oil accounts for less than 10% of oil in many producing countries. It is used on salads, added at the table to soups and stews and for dipping.
Stanislaus Tomato Products:
Stanislaus is a company that caters to high-end Italian restaurants. They pack 100% of their products from fresh tomatoes, 100% of their annual production must be fresh-packed during the three-month vine-ripe season, as opposed to re-manufactured tomato products that are produced year-round from bulk industrial tomato concentrate and water.
